"Opening the way" for shopping tourism

Tourists choose to buy products from craft villages at the Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023. Photo: Nguyen Quang

Enhance the visitor experience

The story of Arnaud Zein El Din, a Mexican architect, who brought a paper horse bought on Hang Ma Street ( Hanoi ) to the airport to return home along with many small souvenirs collected while traveling in Vietnam, such as: a pipe, a sedge mat, a mask, a fishing rod... has become a "hot" topic on social networks in the past few days. The items that Arnaud bought as gifts, or simply to keep memories of Vietnam, also raised the issue of the need for the tourism industry to create more attractive souvenir products rich in cultural identity.

Director of the Vietnam Institute for Tourism Development Research Nguyen Anh Tuan said that shopping tourism is a great strength for tourism development. Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association Phung Quang Thang said that shopping tourism is an indispensable part of the tourist experience and also a factor that increases the attractiveness of the destination.

Looking at the countries in the region, every country has large shopping centers, becoming attractive tourist destinations. For example, Malaysia has many famous shopping areas for different customers, such as: Mid Valley Megamall Center regularly organizes big discount activities; Langkawi shopping island with many duty-free products, is a familiar destination for fashionistas . Singapore has Orchard Road shopping avenue, shopping and retail center combined with entertainment activities VivoCity. Thailand has the famous Siam Paragon shopping center.

In Vietnam, shopping activities have been given much attention by localities in recent years. Many large shopping malls have been built, especially in big cities. Night markets have been formed with many areas selling souvenirs and gifts for tourists. Many tourist areas have shops selling gifts and OCOP products. The formation of shopping malls and shopping areas has stimulated the consumption needs of tourists, enhancing their experiences in their journey to visit and explore new lands.

Lack of uniformity and few characteristics

Although it has been focused on, shopping tourism in Vietnam is not yet professional. Shopping centers have not yet become tourist attractions but are mainly used to display brand products, so visitors to shopping centers are mostly for viewing, not many buyers.

General Secretary of the Hanoi Tourism Association Le Ba Dung assessed that the goods at shopping centers are not diverse, the prices are high, so they are not attractive to tourists, while many other countries have discount centers (outlets). Meanwhile, Chairman of the Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club Truong Quoc Hung commented that gift products of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general are still weak and lacking. Although the country has many craft villages, the gift products are monotonous. Visitors to Vietnam mainly buy conical hats and some souvenirs of low economic value.

To increase the value of shopping activities, Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association Phung Quang Thang said that professional shopping tours should be built for tourists to experience and explore. In Hanoi, shopping tours can be held in the Old Quarter area, where there are many traditional craft streets of Thang Long - Hanoi. "The Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter can cooperate with travel agencies to build shopping tours in the Old Quarter area, in which reputable shopping addresses are identified, ensuring prices and quality of goods so that tourists can both visit and have more experiences," Mr. Phung Quang Thang suggested.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club Truong Quoc Hung suggested that it is necessary to promote the value of craft villages to create valuable gift products. Craft villages need to upgrade quality, diversify designs, and further enhance the applicability of products. Localities should form standard shopping areas, reputable OCOP product introduction addresses, with price guarantees. Particularly for Hanoi, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Tourism Research Nguyen Anh Tuan suggested that the city should plan an underground shopping center, which both avoids spatial conflicts and increases connectivity for relic sites in the Old Quarter.

Currently, the Hanoi Department of Tourism is developing and implementing many plans to increase the attractiveness of shopping tourism. Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said that the Department has asked craft villages to improve product quality and design. Every year, the Department organizes a gift festival so that tourists have the opportunity to experience shopping and learn more about attractive and unique gift products of the capital and the whole country.

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